Operation servo control for groupstitch sewing machines



F. A. HAY ES Feb. 6, 1951 OPERATION SERVO CONTROL FOR GROUP-STITCH SEWING'MACHINES Filed Oct. 7-, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESS wx ma ATTORNEY.

Feb. '6, 1951 F. A. HAYES 2,540,730

' JPERATION SERVO CONTROL FOR GROUP-STITCH SEWING MACHINES Fil'ed Oct. 7, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 MMMME J 10,2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Feb. 6, 1951 F. A. HAYES 2,540,730

OPERATION SERVO CONTROL FOR GROUP-STITCH SEWING MACHINES Filed Oct. 7, 1948 s Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. $261M ZZ. fifaya VVITNESS BY W (Zn/Q ATTORNEY.

Feb, 6, 1951 F, A. HAYES 2,540,730

OPERATION SERVO CONTROL FOR GROUP-STITCH SEWINGMACHINES Filed Oct. 7, 1948 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 OPERA TED 5r CLAMP LEVEE 8/ I05 I07 L OPERATED BYCLAMP LEVER 7 SERVO Mame \w INVENTOEL $78M afif w WITNESS. m

u/" fddj% ATTORNEY.

machine. At the same time, a cam finger 24 carried by a stop-motion lever 25 is moved out of engagement with a stop cam 26 fixed to the shaft 23. Thus, the machine comes up to speed and completes a work cycle, at the end of which the lever 25 is automatically returned to the position in which the cam fingermay be cammed into a notch 21 on the stop 'cam' 26. The belt is shifted to the free pulley and the machine comes to a positive stop.

The structure set forth above is well known in the prior art and the chain I4 and thelink l9 are ordinarily connected to suitable foot-treadles for direct control by the operator.

Now, there will be described servo control means for controlling the work-clamp 2 and the starting lever H from a single foot-treadle, and with minimum effort requirement.

A separate motor 28, preferably of the constant speed induction type is connected to drive shafts 29 and 30 through, a flange-connected speed-reducing gear-box 3| which is secured to the table l6 by means of a clamp 3|.

Secured to the shaft 29 by means of a set-screw 32 is a drum 33, which, when the motor 28 is running, rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig; 2. Likewise, the shaft 30 carries a drum 34 secured thereto by means of a set-screw 35 and rotates as indicated by the arrow.

Wound around the drum 34 is a steel band 36, connected at one'end, by a link 31, to a plunger 38 which, in turn, is connected to the lower end of the chain l4. The other end of the band 36 engages a hook portion 39 of an adjustable link 48 which is secured to a lever- 4| by means of a ball-and-socket joint 42.

The lever 4| is pivoted at 43 in a frame 44 secured to the table I6. The opposite end of the lever 4| is connected to a spring 45 which is anchored in a bar 46 carried by the table. This spring 45 provides a bias force on the lever 4| tending to maintain it in its extreme clockwise position against a stationary stop-pin 41 as: shown-in Fig. 1. Also secured to; the spring end of the lever 4| is a chain 48,- the lower end of which is connected to an equalizer link 49. A chain 50 is connected from the middle of said equalizer link 49 to a foottreadle (not shown) so that, by pressing downward-on the foot treadle, acounterclockwise movement is imparted to the lever 4|. Wound about the drum 33, is asteel band connected at one end to aband link 52 which, in turn, is connected through an'adjustable link 53 to the link I9 and thence to the rod l8 which controls the starting lever- The other end of the band 5| engages. the hook-portion 54 of an adjustable link 55 which is secured to a lever 56 bymeans of a ball-and-socket joint 51.

. The lever56. is pivoted at 58 in the frame 44, and is formed with an upstanding arm 59 which engages a stationarystop-pin 6D to limit the extreme clockwise position of the arm 56. A spring 6| is connected to one end of the lever 56 and is anchored in the fixed bar -46. A chain 62 connectsthe spring end of the lever 56 with the equalizer link 49 at the end thereof opposite to that. at which the chain 48 is connected. Attached to the band link 52 by means of pin 63 is a forked rod 64 which is free to slide in an aperturedportion of a flange 65-of the lever 56 except as restrained by a collar 66 which is slidably adjusted on the forked rod 64.

'"Pivoted to theframe 44 at 61 is a labyrinth latch 68 having a downwardly projecting arm 68. Also pivoted at 61 is a second latch 16 which is urged clockwise with respect to the labyrinth latch 68 by a torsion spring H and is stopped in the position shown in Fig. 1 by the cylindrical head of a trunnion 12 which is pivotally connected to the arm 69. ,This trunnion 12 is connected to a similar trunnion 13. in the arm 59 by a rod 14 which is threaded into or otherwise secured to the trunnion 12 but is free to slide in the trunnion 13. Between trunnions l2 and 13 is a compression spring 15 tending to urge them apart by a fixed distance which can be adjusted by nuts '|6. Parts 12, 13, 14 and 15 form a compressible link joining the lever 56 and the latch 68 so that counterclockwise movement of the lever 56 imparts clockwise movement to the latch 68. On" the other hand, clockwise movement of the lever 56 does not necessarily impart counterclockwise movement of the latch 68, as the spring 15 can compress allowing the rod 14 to slide through the aperture in the trunnion 73. v

The lever 4| has an upstanding arm 11, the tip of which is bent over to form a detent I8, as shown best in Fig. 2. This detent 18 extends under the end of the latch 68, which has a surface 13 formed in the shape of a circular are about the pivot 43. Thus, in the position shown in Fig. 1 and in any position of .the detent 18 except opposite opening 86, the latch-68 is pre-.

. vented from moving clockwise by the detent I8 The conditions shown in Fig. 1 exist when the foot treadle (connected to the chain 50) is raised, the servomotor 28 is turned ofi, and the workclamp 2 is lowered. When the servomotor is turned on, due to the fact that the band 36 is snubbed tightly around the drum 34 by the spring 45, the chain I4 is pulled down, imparting a clockwise movement to the arm 8 and liftingthe work-clamp 2. The machine is now ready to operate.

Operation After the work is inserted between the workclamp 2 and the work-plate 3, the operator presses down on the foot-treadle, which through the link 49, and chains 48 and 62, starts the levers 4| and 56 to turn counterclockwise. This move ment of the lever 4| raises the link 48 which loosens the band 36on the drum 34, thus preventing any torque transmission from the servomotor 28 to the band. The spring 4 then forces the work-clamp 2 down on the work ready for the stitching cycle. It will be noticed that, for smaller treadle movement, proportionally less loosening of the band is provided which is translated as less movement of the work-clamp. Thus the operator maintains full control of the clamp. I

.- It is essential that the clampbe fully seated upon the work before the stitching begins and how this sequential operation'is accomplished with a single foot-treadle will now be described. When the foot-treadle is about half depressed, the levers'M and 56, and the latch 68 are in the positions shown in Fig. 9 with the "detent l8 stopped by an abutment 83 on the latch 68 and ready to enter the gap 80.

tai'nithe relay "in' this position until the clamp is lowered, whereupon switches I06 and I0! open, relay, 2 is returned'to normal, and motor 28 is again connected to the line through contacts H4 and H5.

-In either of the above controls the operator need not be concerned about the servomotor as it is shut-on automatically after a predetermined period of non-use of the machine.

While this invention has been illustrated herein as being applied to a buttonhole machine, it is to be understood that it is not so. limited but includes within its scope applications to any sewing machine wherein it is desired to relieve the operator of the greater part of the effort required in manipulating in sequence any of the mechanisms associated with the sewing operation, such as presser lifters, trimmers, and transmitter clutches,

Having thus set forth the nature of the inu vention, what I claim herein is:

1. Apparatus for operating the mechanismcontrolling levers of a sewingmaehine comprising, in combination, drivendrum, a band wrapped around each of said drums, said bands bein each connected to the respective mechanism-controlling lever, and manual means for sequentially tightening or loosening the wrap of said bands around said drums to control the torque transmitted by said bands from said drums to said mechanism-controlling levers. 2. In a group-stitch sewing machine having a starting lever and a work-clamp lever, means for operating said levers comprising in combination, two drums, means to continuously rotate said drums, a band wrapped around each of said drums, each band connected at one end to a respective machinelever and at the other end to operating levers, spring biased in a manner normally to tighten the band on one drum and to loosen the band on the other drum, equalizer means connected to both operating levers, and a single treadle'connected to said equalizer means whereby the tight band may be loosened and the loose band may be tightened by movement of said single treadle. 1

3. In a group-stitch sewing machine having a starting lever and a work-clamp lever, means for operating said levers comprising in combination, a first drum and a second drum, means for continuously rotating said drums, a first band wrapped around said: first drum, a second band wrapped around said second drum, said first band being connected at one end to the workclamp lever and at the other end to a lever spring biased in a manner to-tighten the band on the drum, said second band being connected at one end to the starting lever and at the other end to a lever, spring biased in a manner to loosen the band on the drum, equalizer means connected to both levers, and a single treadle connected to said equalizer means whereby the tight band may be loosened and the loose band may betightened about its respective drum by movement of said single treadle.

4. In a group-stitch sewing machine, a workclamp, a Work-support, a spring for urging said clamp towards said work-support, a lever for raising said work-clamp, a drum, means for imparting continuous rotation to said drum, a band wrapped around said drum and connected at one end to said clamp lever, a second lever connected at one end to the opposite end of said band and at the other end to a loading spring which acts to tighten the band on the ill drum, whereby to transmit torque from the drum to the clamp lever to raise said clamp; and means for moving said second lever against the force of said loading spring to lower said clamp. 1

5. In a group-stitch sewing machine, in com--, bination, a work-clamp, a starting lever, a motor, drums driven by said motor, bands wrapped around said drums and connected respectively to said work-clamp and startin lever, means for tightening or loosening the wrap of the bands around said drums whereby to control said work-clamp and starting lever, and means for shutting ofi the drum driving motor after the lapse of a predetermined time with the clamp in its raised position. v 6. In a group-stitch sewing machine having a: starting lever and a work-clamp lever, in com-' bination, an electric motor, a speed reducer connected to said motor and providing two output,

operatively connected at one end respectively to.

said'starting lever and to said work-clamp, two operating levers connected respectively to the op-v posite ends of said bands, loading springs for normally biasing said levers to loosen one band about its drum and to tighten the other band about its drum, an equalizer link connected to said operating levers, and single treadle means for moving said equalizer link to provide movement for said levers whereby to loosen one band about its drum and to tighten the other band" about its drum.

' '7. In a group-stitch sewing machine having a starting lever and a work-clamp lever, in combination, an electric motor, a speed reducer connected to said motor and providing two output shafts, a drum mounted for rotation with each shaft, a band wrapped around each drum and operatively connected at one end respectively to said starting lever and to said work-clamp, two operating levers connected respectively to the opposite ends of said bands, loading springs for normally biasing said levers to loosen one band about its drum and to tighten the other band. about its drum, an equalizer link'connected to' said operating levers, a single treadle connected to said equalizer link, and latch means intercomnecting said operating levers to prevent simultaneous operation thereof responsively to movement of said single treadle.

8. In a group-stitch sewing machine having a, starting lever and a work-clamp, a servo mechanism for operating said starting lever and workclamp responsively to the movements of a single treadle, comprising two drums mounted for continuous rotation, a band wrapped around each drum and operatively connected at one end to the respective starting lever and work-clamp, operating levers connected to the opposite end of each of said respective bands and means interconnecting said operating levers whereby movement of a single treadle provides sequential movement of said levers toapply and remove operating torques from said drums to said starting lever and said work-clamp.

9. Apparatus for operating the work-clamp of a group-stitch sewing machine comprising a motor-driven drum, a band wrapped around said drum and operatively connected at one end to said work-clamp, the other end being spring biased to normally tighten said band around band on its drum.

10. In a group-stitch sewing machine having a starting lever spring biased to a stop position,

means for operating said starting lever comprising'a drum, means for imparting continuous rotation to said drum, 2. band wrapped around said drum and connected at one end to said starting lever, a second lever connected at one end to. the opposite end of said band and at the same end to aloading spring which acts to loosen the band on the drum, and means for moving said second lever against the force of said loading spring whereby to transmit torque from the drum to the starting lever to move same against its spring bias to start the machine. 7

11. Apparatus for operating the mechanismcontrolling levers of a sewing machine comprising, in combination, torque-supplying means and manual means for rendering said torque-supplying means effective to actuate said mechanismcontrolling levers, including means for controlling the amount of torque transmitted to said levers from said torque supplying means.

12. The combination with a sewing machine having mechanism-controlling levers, of a servo control means comprising an electric motor for supplying torque, friction means for transmitting the torque from said motor to said levers; and means for manually modifying said friction means for controlling the amount of the torque transmitted.

FRANK A. HAYES.

No references cited. 

